When does a job advertisement breach the Ontario Human Rights Code? The same question was asked and answered in Wedley v. Northview Co-operative Homes Inc., 2008 HRTO 13.

When the Complainant, Caroline Wedley, was terminated from her job as a cleaner, she alleged that she was told by management that they were seeking to hire two men. When later she spotted two advertisements in her local paper requesting male applicants, Ms. Wedley filed a human rights application.

In her application Ms. Wedley alleged that she was treated unfairly and was terminated due to her gender. In short, she believed her employers wanted to hire a man for her position. The Respondents, Northview Co-operative Homes Inc. (“Northview”) held that Ms. Wedley was dismissed due to deteriorating job performance and Northview’s increased maintenance needs.[1]

The question before the Tribunal was whether or not Northview had breached the “Code”.

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